Folding ironing-table



(No Model.)

T. J. BROWN. FOLDING IRONING TABLE.

Patented Jan. 9, 1894.

PANV.

1M1 NATIONAL LITHOGRAFH'ING con V WASHINETON. :7v 2.

THOMAS J. BROWN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

FOLDING lRONlNG-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,576, dated January 9, 1894.

Applioationfiled June 19,1893- Serial No. 478,038. (No modeL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. BROWN, of the city ofSt. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and .useful Improvements in Folding Ironing-Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved folding ironing table capable of being folded in a small space when not in use, and when extended aifording a long board for use in ironing dresses, shirts, trousers and the like, which may be slipped onto it, and it consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and designated in the claims. 7 The object of my invention is to provide an improved table of this class which shall be simple in construction, very strong and durable in operation, and which shall have improved means for accomplishing the folding of the parts in very compact relative positions.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional elevation of same. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the table folded. Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 3 looking from the right hand of said figure and toward the left hand thereof. Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of a cross-bar detached and having a bracket in position upon said cross-bar, as made use of in-carrying out the-invention.

1 indicates the board which is provided with the usual tapering end 2, and which is supported upon a pair of parallel vertical legs 3 and a pair of parallel bracing legs 4, all of which are provided with an aperture or bearing 5 at points adjacent their upper ends. Fixed upon the under surface of the board 1 adjacent its Wide end is a transverse bar 6 having pins or journals 7 at its opposite ends which are engaged by the bearings 5 upon the legs 3, so that said legs will be pivotally connected to said board and be folded to lie fiat and in contact with the under surface .'thereof. The upper ends of the legs 3 are connected by a transverse bar 8, and another transverse bar 9 that is circular in cross-section connects the said legs at points adjacent their lower ends.

10 indicates an inclined brace extending from the point adjacent the upper end of one of said legs 3 to a point adjacent the lower end of the other one of the pair, thereby effectually bracing said legs during operation.

Formed in the under surface of the fixed transverse bar 6 is a recess or depression 11, for a purpose hereinafter mentioned.

Fixed upon the under surface of the board 1 about midway of the length thereof is another transverse bar 12, upon the opposite ends of which are formed pins or journals 13 which are engaged by the bearings 5 of the bracing legs 4 so that said legs maybe folded in the same direction in which the legs 3 are folded, and rest parallel with the under surface of said board.

The legs 4 are provided with the upper cross-bar 8, lower cross-bar 9 which is circular in cross-section, and inclined brace 10, similar to those with which the pairot legs 3 is provided.

Formed in the under side of the transverse bar 12 is a large recess 14, in which and cen tral of the length of which is fixed a bracket 15 which is substantially U-shaped in plan view. Pivotally mounted upon the under surface of this bracket is a turn-button 16 of common construction,it being secured in place by means of a suitable screw or other fastening 17. The bracket 15 has two parallel arms 18 which extend-parallel with each other and with the under surface of the board, with their free ends projecting toward the end of the board to which the vertical legs 3 are connected.

19 indicates an inclined locking-arm, one end of which is mounted between the parallel arms 18 of the bracket 15, and pivotally connected thereto by means of apin or pivot 20, and the upper edge of which projects a slight distance into a smaller recess 14 also formed in the under side of the transverse- -b ar 12 central of the length of the recess 14 therein. This arm is provided with a longitudinal slot 21 the upper side of which is inclinedwith relation to the upper side of said arm and in the direction of the length therei of, so that said slot tapers toward the free end of said arm, and so that said arm is bifurcated, and provided with a flexible portion 22, the outer portion of which normally rests in contact with the adjacent outer portion of said arm. Formed in the flexible portion 22 adjacent the free end thereof is a recess or depression 23, or it may be a notch, which engagesthe cylindrical lower transverse bar 9 of the legs 3 when the said legs are extended for use.

The flexible portion 22 is provided with a projecting handle 24 at its outer end, by means of which it may be elevated to disengage the notch 23 from the bar 9 and separate the normally contacting ends of said portion and said arm.

25 indicates a bolt or screw having its .inner end secured in the flexible portion 22 intermediate of the notch 23 and the handle 24 and provided with a head or enlargement 26 at its free outer end. This bolt or screw passes loosely through a hole or aperture 27 formed in the arm 19 adjacent its outer end, so that when said flexible portion is elevated by the handle 24, the upward movement thereof will be limited by the head of said bolt or screw coming in contact with the adjacent surface of said arm.

28 indicates a pair of horizontal braces, in which parallel slots 29 are formed adjacent one of their ends. One of these braces is located on either side of the inclined locking arm 19, with the horizontal slot 29 of each ongaging the cylindrical lower transverse bar 9 of the legs 3, and with their opposite ends pivotally connected to the lower cylindrical bar 9 of the legs 4.

30 indicates a transverse spacing-plate, which is located between the braces 28 at a point intermediate of the slots 29 and the ends of said bars which are connected to the cross bar of legs 4 so as to retain the bars a fixed distance apart.

31 indicates small pins or similar devices, which are driven through the bar 9 of legs 4 to which the braces 28 are connected, closely adjacent the outer surface of said braces so that the ends of said pins will project, and form stops to prevent the spreading apart of said braces at that point.

The operation is as follows: Presuming that the table is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 (which is the position for use as a table) the same may be quickly folded into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 by first elevating the flexible portion 22 of the inclined locking arm by means of its projecting handle 24 until the notch 23 is disengaged from the bar 9, when the legs 3 and the legs 4 may be folded against the under side of said table, the said bar 9 sliding in the longitudinal slot 21 of the arm 19 until said bar reaches a point closely adjacent the inner end of said slot, and the said bar also sliding in the slots 29 of the horizontal braces 28 until it reaches a point therein closely adjacent the inner ends of said slots, when the said arm 19 may be folded up against the fixed bar 6 and lie in the recess or depression 11 thereof, while the horizontal braces 28 engage in the recess or depression 14 of the bar 12, so that one lies upon either side of the bracket 15 and in a plane parallel with the arms 18 of said bracket. This brings the spacing-plate 30 of said braces closely adjacent the button 16, which may be turned so as to engage or overlap the under surface of said plate, and thereby lock said plate, said braces, the legs and all the parts of the table securely in folded position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. As soon as the cylindrical bar 9 of the legs 3 is slid to a point adjacent the inner end of the slot 21 in the arm 19 the said arm and the flexible portion 22 thereof resume normal position, which is, as before stated with their outer portions in contact, as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to unfold the parts, and set the table in position for use again, all that is necessary is to turn the button 16 to the position in which itis shown in Fig. 2, which will release the spacing plate 30 and the braces 28,- and then elevate the legs 3 and 4 to the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 1, the bar 9 of legs 3 sliding outward in the slot 21 of the arm 19 until it engages the notch 23 of the flexible portion 22, when said flexible portion will automatically spring said notch into engagement with said bar, and thereby lock the parts in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When thus set up, the braces 28 securely hold the legs 4 in the position shown, while the inclined locking arm 19 securely retains the legs 3 in a vertical position.

What I claim is- 1. The improved ironing table, consisting of a board arranged to be supported upon a pair of parallel vertical legs 3 and a pair of parallel bracing legs 4, each of which legs being provided with an aperture or bearing 5 at a point adjacent its upper end, atransverse bar 6 having pins or journals 7 at its opposite ends and a recess or depression 11 in its under surface, said journals 7 being engaged by the apertures of the legs 3, so that said legs are pivotally connected to said board to be folded and lie flat in contact with the under surface thereof, a transverse bar 9 that is circular in cross-section and fixed to the lower portions of said legs 3, a transverse bar 12 fixed upon the under surface of the board about midway of the length thereof and having in its under surface a recess 14, pins or journals 13 formed on the ends of said bar 12 and engaged by the bearings 5 of said legs 4, so that said legs may be folded in the same direction in which the legs 3 are folded and rest parallel with the under surface of said board, a cylindrical bar 9 connected to the lower portions of said legs 4, a bracket 15 secured in the recess 14 of the bar 12 and having two parallel arms 18, a turn-button 16 pivotally mounted upon the under surface of the bracket 15, an inclined locking-arm 19,

at one side of the arm 19, and a transverse plate 30 connected to said braces 28 at a point intermediate of the ends thereof so as to be engaged by a button 16 when the parts are folded together, substantially as herein specified.

2. An improved ironing table having a board supported upon legs pivotally connected thereto, braces for supporting one pair of legs, and an inclined brace 19 having its upper end pivotally connected to the under side of said table and having a longitudinal slot 21 the upper side of which is inclined with relation to the upper side of said brace in the direction of the length thereof so that said slot tapers toward the free end of said brace, and said brace having a flexible portion 22 the outer portion of which normally rests in contact with the adjacent portion of said brace, a transverse bar 9 connecting the lower portions of another pair of said legs and engaged by said slot in said brace, a notch 23 formed in the flexible portion 22 adjacent the free end thereof so as to engage said bar 9 when the legs are extended for use, a handle 24 formed upon said flexible portion at its outer end, a bolt or screw 25 the inner end of which is secured in the flexible portion 22 intermediate of the notch and the handle thereof and is provided with a head or enlargement 26 at its free outer end, said bolt or screw passing loosely through a hole or aperture 27 formed in the brace 19 adjacent its outer end, so that when said flexible portion is elevated by means of said handle the upward movement thereof will be limited by the head of said bolt or screw, said brace folding parallel with said board, and means for holding the parts in folded position, substantially as herein specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS J. BROWN.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD E. LONGAN, J NO. 0. I-IIeDoN. 

